


Distress Call

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe - Star Trek Fusion, Crossover, F/M, Peril, Pretzel Week
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2018-09-26 21:02:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9922004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: Ensign Avon Belle had joined Star Fleet to explore the universe. She loved her role on the USS Misthaven, even when that meant working with cranky visiting scientists, like Doctor Pel. She'd never dreamed that she would be the first non-native to see a very private part of Enmorkon culture.





	1. Chapter 1

Ensign Avon Belle was certain she’d offended the Prophets, she wasn’t sure what she’d done, but she was being punished for something. It was the only explanation for the misfortune of the past twelve hours. Actually that wasn’t true; it was more likely that Lieutenant Mills had given her this assignment as punishment for pointing out her calculation error. She refused to feel bad for having done that; unchecked Mills’ error would have rendered the stellar-cartography data of the nebula worthless. She said a quick prayer of contrition for doubting the Prophets and got back to dying slowly from asphyxia. It really had been a terrible day.

 

_Twelve Hours ago_

Belle made it to morning briefing with twenty seconds to spare, but Lieutenant Mills glared at her as if she’d been an hour late.

“Thank you for joining us Ensign Belle,”

Belle refused to rise to Lieutenant Mills deliberate misnaming. She kept doing this to try and upset her, but the rest of the science team thought it childish and addressed Belle correctly. When she had no response but stony looks from the rest of the shift Mills continued; “Now everyone has finally arrived. The duty roster for today is unchanged from yesterday, with one exception. Ensign Be…Avon you will be taking Doctor Pel to check the deployed sensors. Shuttle Maine is waiting for you in hanger bay two.”

Belle could have groaned at that, but Mills was watching her closely hoping for a negative reaction so she could berate her in front of the shift. Belle kept her face neutral and acknowledged her orders with a simple nod, which made her ear-ring shift and catch the light. Mills’ eyes narrowed but she couldn’t say a damn thing about that since Captain Blanchard had given all Bajoran crewmembers permission to wear the spiritually significant item while in uniform. The briefing finished quickly and once they were dismissed Belle sighed quietly to herself, but not so quietly that Ensign Re’d couldn’t hear her. It wasn’t that surprising, Re’d was from Lupine 9 and had exceptional senses of hearing and smell.

“See the Queen is still narked at you.”

Lieutenant Regina Mills had the nickname of ‘the Queen’ among her staff. It wasn’t original since her given name, but it was accurate for her attitude. It also was not in any way complimentary, but that too matched Mills’ interaction with anyone she thought beneath her.

Belle shrugged; “When isn’t she?”

“You should hustle, don’t want to get on Pel’s bad side before you start you shift.”

“Does the man have a good side?”

Re’d gave her an odd look and loped away to her duty station. Belle headed to the shuttle bay wishing she’d had time for a raktajino.

Doctor Pel was already in the shuttle performing pre-flight checks, his gold-grey skin shimmering in the console light. Not for the first time Belle wondered if his race actually needed sleep. Had he been more inclined to chat she would have asked him that and the hundred other questions she had about his home world of Enmork in the Nona Nebula, but his cranky nature made even her reluctant to satisfy her curiosity. 

A heavenly scent assailed Belle’s senses.

“Is that raktajino?”

Pel didn’t look up from his checks, but he waved a black clawed hand at the mug in front of her station.

“The computer informs me you were reviewing last cycle’s data until 0200. I doubt you had time for your morning beverage before reporting for duty.”

Belle was surprised; this kindness was out of character for Pel. She took a grateful sip, it was perfect, and exactly the way she took it, hot and strong.

“Thank you Doctor Pel.”

He snorted at her; “Well, you’re no use to me if you fall asleep Ensign.”

Ah, there was the cranky scientist she’d come to know.

_Now_

“E..Ensign A…Avon. Wak…ke up.”

The panic in Pel’s voice was clear even through the chattering of his teeth. The temperature had dropped as life support failed which was bad news for his biological functions. The cold had slowed his reptilian body to the point that his thinking was sluggish, had he been warmer he would have thought of this sooner. Belle opened her eyes and gave a slight jump of surprise to find him so close to her. He wrapped his hand around hers and managed to say; “Breathe in as I breathe out.”

She looked understandably confused, but nodded and did as he asked. The first lungful of oxygen rich air he exhaled drew her closer, hungry for more. He couldn’t keep this up for long, not when he was this cold, but the Misthaven would be here in less than five minutes; this would keep her alive until their rescue arrived. Of course he might not be alive to benefit from that, with the next breath his vision began to fade

_Eight hours ago_

“That drone is out of alignment, Ensign.”

Belle’s fingers were already flying over the console as she made the correction.

“I’m correcting now.”

“No, no, no you’ve altered the sensor angle. Start again.”

She ground her teeth together and snapped; “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

Pel cocked his head at her and frowned; “Why would I want to catch flies. I’m not hungry.”

She gave him a curious look. Not much was known about Pel’s species, the Enmork were a very private race and relatively new to the Federation. She had to wonder how much effort anyone on the Misthaven had put into getting to know the visiting Doctor.

“It’s a human phrase; it means you get better results from people by asking nicely rather than being rude.”

His sharp mossy teeth nibbled at his lip as he thought about what she had said.

“Would you please not disrupt the sensor angle?”

She smiled at his attempt, it wasn’t perfect, but he was trying, “I will do my best.”

“Thank you, Ensign.”

They worked quietly for a few moments until Belle’s curiosity got the better of her.

"Do you really eat flies?”

“Hum, oh yes. On Enmork we have a type that is as big as your head and tastes rather like that sal-mon I had at the welcome reception.”

“I didn’t know that.”

He snorted; “Not surprised. The only person who has asked anything about Enmork is Lieutenant Mills, and she was only interested in our mating habits,” He gave a dramatic shudder that told Belle exactly how well he had received Mills’ questions, “With her attitude I suspect she does not catch many flies.”

From the corner of her eye she could see him watching her to see if he had correctly employed the phrase he’d just learned. Belle laughed and shook her head; “She does not.”

**Warning. Incoming Radiation Wave**

They both focused on the console. Pel made a string of sounds that the universal translator ignored, so Belle suspected they were curses.

“We are registering a Cherenkov Radiation surge. The sensors have no idea what is about to hit us.”

Belle jabbed two codes into the console. One sent a distress call to the Misthaven and the other activated the seat restraints.

“Brace for impact!”

_USS Misthaven NCC - 815 - Now_

“Shuttle Maine in visual range, Captain.”

Captain Blanchard rose from her seat as the image of the drifting shuttle appeared on screen.

“Life signs?”

Lieutenant Commander T’Vil reported; “I have Ensign Avon, but Doctor Pel is fading.” 

Blanchard tapped her comms; “Bridge to Sick Bay prepare for two emergency transports.”

Whale’s voice answered curtly; “Sick Bay ready Captain.”

“T’Vil get them out of there.”

 

On the shuttle Pel sucked in one last carbon dioxide heavy breath and held it while his lungs photosynthesised it. His eyelids blinked twice as he leaned in closer to Ensign Avon. This was the last oxygen he could give her; he had to make it count. He could only hope she understood the apology in his eyes as he sealed their mouths together and forced his last exhale into her lungs.

Belle staggered as they landed from transport. Whale’s medical team swarmed around them yelling things that made no sense to her.

“Ensign Avon let go of him, now!”

She became aware of the tight grip around her hand.

“I can’t. He won’t let go.”

Whale appeared in her eye line.

“Blutige Holle! Was he breathing for you? In this state?” 

Belle memories of the last hour were fuzzy, but Pel had somehow managed to produce oxygen for her so she nodded. Doctor Whale gripped her shoulders and forced her to look him in the eye.

“Ensign Avon. Enmorkons cling to their family when they hibernate. Pel is clinging to you, he’s not dead. Hold on tight.”

The only response she could give was a nod. The medics accommodated her proximity as if it was normal to be dealing with to linked patients. Belle hissed as hyposprays were administered to counter the effects of oxygen deprivation and hypothermia, her eyes never leaving the now dormant form of Pel.

Her only coherent thought was; “By the Prophets let him live. Please, let him live.”


	2. Chapter 2

Once Whale and his staff had done everything they could for Pel they arranged a chair for Belle next to his bed. 

“Try and get some rest Ensign.”

Whale left and Belle did try to get comfortable on the chair, but Pel’s grip on her hand made it awkward. The skin of his palm was apparently producing some sort of adhesive that sealed them together; Whale had briefly explained that this kept the family together in the hot springs that Enmorkons traditionally hibernated in. Belle could appreciate the evolution necessity behind that, but was finding the experience problematic. Considering her position she decided that sitting by his bedside was not the best option. She chewed her bottom lip as she thought about what she was about to do, Enmorkons had a reputation in Star Fleet as being stand-offish, and shunning any physical contact, but given their current circumstances those rules were obviously suspended for life threatening situations. Whale had said that it would be hours before Pel woke, there was no point in being uncomfortable for that long. She nodded to herself and climbed up onto the medbed.

“I hope this is alright Doctor Pel.”

As she lay down on the edge of the bed, he rolled onto his side, and pulled her closer to him, their joined hands came to rest in the space between their bodies and Pel’s legs tangled with hers. His sudden closeness surprised her, this was not the reaction she had expected from him.

“Doctor Pel?”

He showed no sign of having heard her. He was acting instinctively to make himself comfortable, which gave her cause to wonder if what she thought she knew about his species was accurate. From what Belle had understood from the med team’s words, Pel had placed himself in immense danger in order to save her life, she still wasn’t too clear on how he’d had managed to keep her alive long enough for the Misthaven to arrive; that was something she could ask him once he woke.

Being only a handful of centimetres away from him Belle could see the tiny scales that covered his eyelids flickering in the lights as he dreamed. The dancing lights his scales were creating blurred as her own eyes slid closed and she drifted into sleep.

 

Captain Blanchard walked into sickbay with Lieutenant Mills on her heels to find Whale stood over a medbed that contained two patients.

“I thought Ensign Avon was conscious?”

The doctor was distracted by the tricorder read out; “Hum, oh she was, but after the shock to her system sleep is the best medicine.”

Beside her Regina snorted; “And why is she sharing a bed with Doctor Pel? The sick bay doesn’t appear to be full.”

Regina’s tone was full of sarcasm, but Whale didn’t notice, MM recognized that look in the eye of her chief medical officer, he had made a discovery. Whale nodded slowly to himself.

“They are currently linked and apparently dreaming together.”

MM looked at him expectantly, but he just smiled at her. Whale was one of the best medical officers in Star Fleet but getting information out of him was like pulling teeth sometimes. She kept most of the frustration from her voice as she asked: “How is that possible?”

“Hibernation.”

-x-x-x-

Belle had a deep sensation of calm; as if she was floating in a warm bath. There was an awareness that she was not alone, but the other presence felt safe and comforting so she let herself drift for a while longer. Eventually she realized that this was not a typical dream. She could explain to herself how she knew that, but the feeling was there and it felt true, so she accepted it. She opened her eyes and found herself in an unfamiliar landscape. Taking a look around she assessed her location. A cave for certain; the rock walls were thick with some sort of plant that produced a gentle green bioluminescence. The air was hot and humid to the point that she uncomfortably warm in her uniform. She caught the fastening intending to open the suit, but a sudden voice caused her to halt.

“Ensign Avon?”

“Doctor Pel?”

It took her a second to recognize Doctor Pel. He was dressed in a loose shirt, and light trousers, a far cry from the heavy leathers he wore on the Misthaven.

“Did the ship come? Are you safe?”

He sounded frantic, so she took a slow breath and forced calm into her tone; “Yes, we were transported to sick bay. Doctor Whale stabilized both of us and said that you would wake in a few hours.”

His scales shimmered, the Enmorkon equivalent of a smile, then he tilted his head; “I’m clinging to you?”

Belle flexed her fingers as she recalled the grip he had on her. It still felt as if his hand was there, an odd sensation since he was standing several metres away. His fingers twitched, and she realized that he could feel the connection between them as well.

He gave a low hiss and his scales changed colour again; “I offer my sorrow for my proximity Ensign Avon. I understand the lip contact is only for brood-parteners. It was the only way to transfer oxygen to you.”

He was apologising for kissing her, Belle chuckled; “You saved my life Doctor Pel, under the circumstance a kiss is perfectly acceptable.”

“A kiss?”

He seemed intrigued with the word, repeating it to himself a few times. The humidity was starting to make Belle’s head swim, she carefully unfastened her tunic a little. The small sound caught Doctor Pel’s attention.

“You are overheating, come with me.”

He beckoned her forward and led her to the mouth of the cave. Belle gasped. The sky was rich purple speckled with orange and green. Dome like structures rose from the thick jungle and everywhere soft light flickered.

“Ensign Avon Belle of Bajor may I welcome you to the Dreaming of Enmork.”

-x-x-x-

Captain Blanchard pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She was an intelligent woman, but she’d understood only a third of Whale’s explanation.

“So, if I have understood correctly. Doctor Pel’s injuries triggered a hibernation state, which somehow has extended to include Ensign Avon?”

Whale hummed and nodded; “Simplistically yes.”

“And what does this have to do with Avon being Bajoran?”

Whale had briefly touched on a connection but had rambled off on a tangent.

“That’s only speculation at the moment, but I think that the Bajoran meditation practice has aligned the neuro-transmitters in a sympathetic pattern to allow a cross-species bond. They’ll wake up in a few hours and hopefully the Ensign will be able to tell us something about the shared dream the Enmorkons experience. They have been reluctant to answer questions about the condition.”

“You will consult with Doctor Pel before you ask anything of Ensign Avon. The Enmorkons value their privacy and I will not let your curiosity offend our guest.”

Whale opened his mouth to argue his point but closed it again in the face of the Captain’s stern expression. Lieutenant Mills huffed impatiently.

“This is ridiculous. She’d just being lazy.”

Mills’ hand shot out to shake Belle awake but was prevented from making contact by the forcefield around the slumbering pair. Whale rolled his eyes and tutted; “Does nobody read the medical information I prepare for new species?”

The politely blank looks he received from the Captain and the Lieutenant made him swear under his breath. His voice took on an annoyed sing-song tone; “During hibernation the potency of the Enmorkon defensive venom increases exponentially. We are not carrying enough anti-venom to deal with that sort of hit, hence the forcefield.”

Regina’s expression went from mildly appalled to indignant in record time. She was clearly building up a head of steam to rant about the situation and MM was not in the mood to deal with her ruffled feathers, so quickly said; “Back to work Lieutenant Mills. Doctor Whale will notify you when Ensign Avon is able to return to duty.”

Mills gave a curt nod and turned on her heel. 

“Keep me informed Doctor Whale.”

He gave a distracted nod, his focus already back on his patients who slumbered peacefully on.


End file.
